Santa parade

Last weekend Eadie and Ava took part in the Farmer's Santa Parade. We braved the crowds and stood in the scorching sun to see the Minnie Girls pass by. Sadly the music got mixed up so instead of doing their choreographed dance, they waved and high-fived the crowd. 

After the Minnie Girls, my next favourite thing was watching the Man of Steel fly overhead even if it was because he blocked the sun for a fleeting moment.

Then there were some [Kiwi flavoured] classics.

Sadly I didn't get a photo of the man in the red suit. The girls loved taking part and Ruby said next year she wants to do it too. So I' guess I'll get a photo of him then.

Pyramid advent calendar

When I saw this pyramid advent calendar over at Mini Eco I just couldn't resist doing it. I won't be putting the Christmas tree up this year as we are heading to Oz so I thought this was a nice way to get into the festive spirit.

The end result may look more like an arrow than a Christmas tree which is what I was aiming for. Maybe it would have looked better if I'd just made it random. Nevermind, I'll try to remember for next year.

Left-overs picnic

What better thing to do with your left-over Christmas prawns and ham than have a Boxing Day picnic. We decided to walk up Maungawhau (Mt Eden) and have an evening picnic.

A pear-shaped Christmas

Well finally, it's here! Santa came to our house last night and we feel quite privileged knowing that New Zealand is one of his first stops on the globe.

Things were a little rocky yesterday and I had to admit that maybe I bit off a bit too much. I don't profess to being Martha Stewart, but I like to think I am reasonable competent in the kitchen. After a week-long stretch of feeling like I had Christmas preparations well under control, things went a little pear-shaped, and I'm not talking about a partridge in a tree. It seemed like everything I attempted to create ended in disaster.

Instead of looking like this:

My macaroons looked like this. They were not even worth filling but the kids still want to eat them.

I was also going to take a hazelnut, coffee and brandy cake to our friend's place for dinner tonight, but I don't think so.

On a happier note, the chocolate gluten-free Christmas cake I made did turn out (no pic, sorry). And I used the left-over egg yolks from the macaroons to make traditional custard to have with it. The custard will also come in handy when mopping up the dregs of the hazelnut cake – the ingredients were far too expensive to just throw it out! I think I'll just play it safe and whip up a pav to take to Helen's tonight.

I was also pleased with the Christmas bunting I made and the outdoor candy tree. This is us enjoying brunch which consisted of pancakes, waffles with mango and cherries.

The girls were really pleased with their new outfits.

Merry Christmas everybody and all the very best for twenty-twelve!!

Santa's little helper[s]

At the time of writing this post, I am madly wracking my brain for ideas on what to buy for Christmas presents – for us, it is mostly about the kids. Although I can find cool things on other people's blogs and in magazines I find it far more difficult to actually source things. There is also the added pressure to trying to get it all done before the kids finish school – two weeks to go!

I think the thing that annoys me most about Christmas is the 'stuff'. Now don't get me wrong, I do love Christmas and I really love watching the kids open their presents, after all, isn't that what it's all about? That and the 'Jesus' thing. Anyway, I thought we could help each other out by sharing our ideas. Maybe you've bought your kids something in the past that was a real hit. Maybe you've discovered something 'new'. Or even better, a website where we can buy online and avoid the shops altogether (are far more pleasurable experience in my opinion).

I bought some fabric paint the other day and plan to put some sort of a kit together so the girls can do some printing. Maybe start with a plain pillowcase, t-shirt or tote bag. You can also get pens/paint to use on glassware and crockery. Buy some cheap glasses or breakfast bowls which they can decorate. Or buy some iron-on transfer paper and print something cool from the web.

I got lots of ideas from Lotta Jansdotter, she has some really cool stuff, I've currently got one of her books out from the library but you could get it or something similar and gift it with the paints.

Lotta on YouTube

Leave a comment with your ideas pleeeeease!

Does is snow at Christmas?

Only if you live in the northern hemisphere, or if you hang out in a life-size snow globe. I really should have taken a pic from the outside so you could get the full effect. It was a bit of festive fun in the lead up to Christmas.


BTW, it was colder outside the globe than inside!

Christmas baking

I've been getting all domestic and have done quite a bit of baking of late. Home made treats for the teachers and sweet things for friends who've invited us over. I'll even be lugging some to Oz (if they last that long), I just hope they let me through customs. If not, I'll cry. :(

O' Christmas tree, o' Christmas tree

No green branches here. There was no way I was going to drag out the tree and decorate when we're off to Oz tomorrow! But this little twig was my compromise.


And after a spot of shopping and wrapping, there are now even a few surprises under it!

A personal touch

Now, I'm not suggesting you print all your wrapping paper on your home printer 'cause that could prove to be rather expensive and leave you with empty ink cartridges. But this is a cute idea for one or two small pressies.



PS. I hope my kids don't see this because I happen to know Santa had the same idea!

A cunning plan

But totally insane too!

My dear friend SOTH (not her real name) came up with the following plan to survive the silly season and has challenged her friends to join her. Anyone who knows SOTH also knows she loves to torture herself and now she is turning on us with this challenge to be healthy which includes giving up alcohol at a time when we need it the most!

The plan (challenge), as set by SOTH (The red bits are her response to our initial complaints):

• You must eat three healthy meals a day. Not very hard really.
• You must eat breakfast before 9am. Not very hard either.
• Snacks are fruit only. More difficult, but just bloody try!
• No alcohol!! You may, however, choose two occasions between now and Christmas Eve where you can drink in moderation so you aren’t being rude or loose friends forever. Other than those two occasions, it’s NONE AT ALL. There are so many issues here, I don’t know where to start. Have three AFD’s a week. EASY.
• You must do some kind of exercise three times a week. Doesn’t include sex. You do this most weeks anyway.
• You may not have seconds on ANY meal. Not negotiable.
• You may not eat anything after dinner – EVER. Neither is this!
• You are to attempt to be in bed before 10am each week night (or at least have a good average). All over this one.
• You must have sex once a week (more if you like). Don’t want to know the details. Go for Gold for all I care.
• You must drink as much water as you can each day. Cure alcohol related dehydration if nothing else.
• You must have some kind of beauty treatment/massage/hair cut in this period. Bet you’ll do this one without complaint.

There was special dispensation in the contract which excludes ME from the contact for the 48 hour period around the weekend of MY BIRTHDAY – phew!

After a pretty crap day of which I will spare you the details, I fixed myself a fruit salad frappe with added wheat grass powder, hence the weird colour! Dinner was tuna and butter bean salad. I'm almost through Day 1.

Stocking stuffer

At this time of year I am madly trying to think of Christmas gift ideas. My kids want lots of "stuff"; not much of it useful or practical. I am stealing this idea from Frankie. It's cheap, easy, cute and when they're all eaten – that's it. No little pieces to lose or stand on in the middle of night for that matter!

I just hope my kids don't see this post!

Please share your Christmas gift ideas with me!

Begin with coffee, end with coffee

Hopefully you all received our Christmas letter. The girls were really looking forward to a visit from Santa and he did not disappoint. I was reminding them just yesterday that it is never to late to start being good.

Before I could start preparing breakfast I had my obligatory two cups of coffee and another thrown in because, well, it's Christmas! We had waffles with mango, strawberries, bananas and mascapone. It's the first time we've actually had to pay for mangoes - ever!


With some inspiration from Maggie Beer, I am baking a turkey with apple and prune stuffing. I got a free-range, corn-fed turkey from the local butcher and in return gave him all the money in my Christmas account. I only hope I do it justice. The butcher said the secret to the perfect turkey is a good butcher and an excellent chef. Well, he's done his bit, now the pressure is on!

Note: The pic above shows Steve attempt at looking 'festive'. I think those shorts have been around longer than me! Nice clashing Steve.


We are sticking to a good ol' Aussie pavlova for dessert because everybody here loves it. Did you know that the Kiwi's claim the pav' is theirs? To be honest, we Aussies are notorious for adopting anything the Kiwis do well as ours, so there could be some truth in that. I will research and get back to you!


I hope you enjoy the Christmas music selection - it really is hard to find 'good' Christmas music.

Counting down, and up

• Today is the first day of summer. It feels more like spring in this part of the world, but I'm not complaining.


• Only two days till my birthday (and Ari's) (and plenty of others of course).


• And twenty-four sl[sh]eeps till Christmas.